GOLF

Los Cabos Guide toGolfer’s

WITH COURSES DESIGNED BY THE INDUSTRY’S TOP DESIGNERS AND PICTURE-PERFECT LANDSCAPES TO MATCH, LOS CABOS IS A GOLFER’S PARADISE.

By Rick Stedman

The Los Cabos golf scene has grown from humble beginnings into a lush landscape of rolling greens and championship-level play. Its first course, the San José del Cabo Municipal, was built by hand and opened in 1987, featuring a nine-hole course, 32 bunkers, and a lake within a 3,153-yard flat course with a par of 35. That ninehole course is still operating today as Vidanta Golf Los Cabos.

The One&Only Palmilla Golf Course opened in Los Cabos in 1992 as Jack Nicklaus’s first

signature course built in Latin America. It was also the start of a Los Cabos golf boom that continues to grow. Often referred to as the Grande Dame of Los Cabos golf, the One&Only Palmilla Golf Club today offers 27 holes, featuring 9 holes at each of the Mountain, Ocean, and Arroyo courses.

FUN FACT

As one of the world’s premier golf destinations, Los Cabos had 3 of its 21 golf courses named on the 2022 Golf Digest “World’s 100 Greatest” list. Included in that prestigious biennial ranking were Diamante Dunes Golf Club at No. 50, Querencia Golf Club at No. 73, and Quivira Golf Club debuting at No. 87.

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INCREDIBLE TRACKS

Golfers from all over the world flock to Los

Cabos for the region’s many scenic and challenging courses. While most of these incredible courses are centered in and

around greater Los Cabos, the newest tracks have extended north up the Baja peninsula on the Pacific Ocean side and along the Sea of Cortés.

The most recent course to open is the oceanfront Solmar Golf Links, one of Greg Norman’s gems. Since its debut in 2020, it has become one of Los Cabos’ most

coveted golf courses. The aptly named Solmar, which translates to “sun and sea,” is the name of the on-site resort Grand Solmar

at Rancho San Lucas. The course boasts a

magnificent panorama of dunes, fairways, and ocean views that blend seamlessly with the surrounding natural vegetation, making this a must-play course. The 191-yard, par-3 17th is the only island green in Los Cabos and the layout’s most photographed hole.

Since its 2018 opening, Twin Dolphin Golf Club has promoted itself as “championship golf for the everyday player,” after its design by PGA champion Fred Couples. Every hole offers a picturesque view of the Sea of Cortés. The course is unique by offering tee times and instead lives on Cabo time,

offering night golf at the practice tee! The private 18-hole, par72 course measures 7,156 yards and is available to guests and owners of Montage Los Cabos and Maravilla Los Cabos.

Opened in 2019 and designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the luxurious Costa Palmas course in the East Cape region sits roughly 65 miles from Cabo San Lucas and is affiliated with the Four

Seasons. This stunning 18-hole championship course features desert and ocean views, dunescapes, and wide, challenging fairways.

ON THE DRAWING BOARD

Following the design success of the Quivira Golf Club, Jack Nicklaus Design began working on a second course in the northwest area of the 1,850-acre development, 10 minutes from Los Cabos. Offering panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and an incredible backdrop from the Sierra de la Laguna mountains, the new private course will be playable for Old Lighthouse Club residents, a private community within the Quivira resort.

Since the early 1990s, Jack Nicklaus Design has made its mark on the Baja golf scene. Club Campestre, one of three courses under the Questro Golf umbrella, was designed by Nicklaus. Its undulating, multitiered greens are among the most liberally contoured putting surfaces in Los Cabos, making it a favorite among visitors. The course is located just 15 minutes from the Los Cabos International Airport.

Cabo Real is another Questro Golf jewel situated midway along The Corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo

and the showpiece of a 2,800-acre resort and residential project with 3.2 miles of beachfront. The Cabo Real Golf Club features

a multi-themed, target-style course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The recent reversal of the club’s nines has dramatically enhanced the course’s layout and flow.

The third Questro course is the 27-hole Puerto Los Cabos. Two of the 9-hole courses were designed by Jack Nicklaus, while the third was conceived by Greg Norman. Combined, the 27 holes at Puerto Los Cabos offer expansive coastline views of the ocean and Sea of Cortés.

All three Questro golf courses will host the 2023 Los Cabos ProAm, January 2–7, 2023.

Formally known as the Ocean Course, the Jack Nicklaus Signature Cove Club Golf Course first opened for play in 1994. Stretching for more than a mile along the Sea of Cortés, the private course features four unforgettable oceanfront holes perched above the roaring waves of the Pacific, open to members and their guests.

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The Cabo Del Sol Desert Course, designed by Tom Weiskopf, is a stunning oasis winding through canyonlike arroyos framed by lush desert landscapes and picturesque mountain backdrops. The greens blend breathtaking scenery with pure challenge, offering beautiful ocean views from every hole. Guests of the Hacienda del Mar Los Cabos Resort, Villas & Golf have access to this artfully sculpted natural beauty of the peninsula.

Cabo San Lucas Country Club has remained one of the most difficult courses in Los Cabos since its

inception in 1994. The lighted driving range is a popular addition that allows golfers to extend their game into the night. Designed by Roy Dye, the 18-hole desert course has views of the Sea of Cortés and El Arco

at Land’s End. One of the more daunting holes is the double-dogleg par-5 seventh, which swings around a lake and stretches to 610 yards from the back tees, ranking it among the longest holes in Mexico.

Chileno Bay Golf Course, designed by Tom Fazio, is yet another exclusive and exquisite Cabo experience with one of the best-manicured layouts in Los Cabos. Two other private courses include the Nicklausdesigned El Dorado Golf & Beach Club and the Diamante Cabo San Lucas El Cardonal, designed by Tiger Woods.

Given the abundance of world-class courses in and

around Los Cabos, it’s easy to see why this part of Baja has earned a stellar reputation among golfers.

Golf Meets Comfort

Most 18-hole golf courses offer comfort stations around the 5th and 13th holes with restrooms, water, and sometimes refreshments; but Los Cabos goes the extra mile with course-side comforts. Los Cabos’ putters can expect teeing off to be as exciting as pulling up to a comfort station. Here’s a sampling of the benefits in store.

Lucha Libre, a quick stop just off hole 13 at Costa Palmas Golf Club in the East Cape, features casual Mexican cuisine, including shrimp tacos, carne asada burritos, and more. Its newest amenity, the East Cape Food Truck, overlooks the 18th hole and was inspired by 1920s French and Italian outdoor bistros. Operated by the Four Seasons Resort, this gourmet eatery on wheels offers fresh cuisine and appetizers like sliders and tacos, specialty “paletas” (popsicles), and signature cocktails and libations.

A round at Quivira Los Cabos treats you to two comfort stations. The first sits on a cliff near the fifth hole where linksmen can relax, take in the expansive ocean views, and enjoy a margarita and fish tacos. The second comfort station on the back nine is equally impressive, with a chef taking menu requests.

Comfort stations at Twin Dolphin Golf Club are located at its Red Doors on holes 5 and 12, where golfers can enjoy the clubhouse’s ever-changing menu, craft cocktails, and personalized service right off the fairway. The Grand Solmar and Rancho San Lucas Resort offer two comfort stations affectionately known as “Shark Shacks” in honor of golfing legend Greg Norman, known as “The Shark.” Diamante Dunes, Puerto Los Cabos, and several others offer similar comfort stations, and these on-course mini-restaurants are here to stay.

Golf Course Listings

Los Cabos boasts the kind of extraordinary landscape and climate that have inspired golf’s leading designers to create some of the world’s premier courses. With a wealth of legendary tracks complemented by dramatic panoramas, it’s small wonder that golfers flock to Los Cabos year after year. Here is a summary of the golf opportunities you’ll find here.

CABO DEL SOL — THE DESERT COURSE

This Tom Weiskopf par-72 course stretches to 7,049 yards and features undulating greens, demanding elevation changes, and dramatic bunkering, as well as mesmerizing ocean views from all 18 holes. The target-style golf experience with sloping fairways offers plenty of challenges for all skill levels. A unique combination of desert and ocean scenery, along with canyon-like arroyos and variation in foliage create a breathtaking backdrop for this formidable course. cabodelsol.com

CABO REAL GOLF CLUB

The par-71 club is the centerpiece of a 2,800-acre resort and residential community with 3.2 miles of beachfront. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., Cabo Real Golf Club features a multi-themed, targetstyle course that measures 6,848 yards at the tips. questrogolf.com

CABO SAN LUCAS COUNTRY CLUB

One of the first courses in the region, Cabo San Lucas Country Club was significantly remodeled in 2018 by Mexican designer Agustin Piza. The picturesque par72, Roy Dye–designed, 18-hole course now measures 6,852 yards and boasts several new holes. The club’s back nine was shortened, and its corridors were widened to expand the layout’s spectacular views of El Arco at Land’s End. cabocountry.com

CHILENO BAY GOLF & BEACH CLUB

Designed by Tom Fazio, the 18-hole, par-72 Chileno Bay Club course provides 7,260 yards of play. The tees, fairways, and greens blend seamlessly with the desert

the Pacific Ocean and natural arroyos, mature vegetation, and native dunes, the par-72 course measures 7,363 yards and visually complements Diamante’s famed Dunes Course. diamantecabosanlucas.com

EL DORADO GOLF & BEACH CLUB

Stretching to 7,278 yards, this par-72 Jack Nicklaus–designed course is widely considered a desert-meets-the-sea masterpiece and is regularly ranked one of the top courses in the world. Located on The Corridor, it offers spectacular play opportunities as it winds through desert landscapes featuring colorful canyons and arroyos. The course at El Dorado offers an unforgettable experience for anyone fortunate enough to play it. eldoradobeachclub.com

terrain; and every hole provides magnificent views of the Sea of Cortés. The exquisite course is part of the 1,200-acre master-planned Chileno Bay community. chilenobayclub.com

CLUB CAMPESTRE SAN JOSÉ

Part of the prestigious Questro Golf portfolio, this tony, par-71 course is the centerpiece of the 550-acre Club Campestre San José community. Measuring 6,966 yards from the championship tees, the 18-hole course was designed by Jack Nicklaus amid the gently rolling foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna mountains and features spectacular views from every single hole. questrogolf.com

COSTA PALMAS EAST CAPE

The links-style course at Costa Palmas is framed by the Sierra de la Laguna mountains and features broad fairways and a windswept layout that rises more than 130 feet above sea level. Described by designer Robert Trent Jones Jr. as “a golf symphony composed of three movements and two transitions,” the layout includes greens with unguarded entrances, groves of mesquite trees, and strategically placed bunkers, as well as views of the coves, harbors, and channels that line the Costa Palmas community. costapalmas.com/golf

COVE CLUB

Originally the legendary Cabo Del Sol Ocean Course, Cove Club reopened in 2019 with several new holes, restyled bunkers, upgraded playing surfaces, and new landscaping. Measuring 6,807 yards, Cove Club stretches more than a mile along a coastline of craggy rock outcroppings and sun-washed shores, inspiring course designer Jack Nicklaus to describe it as “the best golf property I’ve ever seen.” With the waves crashing against the rocks, verdant fairways, and gentle sea breezes, the Cove Club experience is akin to a romantic walk on the beach. cabodelsol.com/cove-club-course

DIAMANTE CABO SAN LUCAS DUNES COURSE

The par-72, 7,022-yard Dunes Course at Diamante Cabo San Lucas is marked by fairways, tees, and greens carved right into sand dunes high above the Pacific Ocean. The windswept layout skirts huge blowout bunkers on its journey to and from the sea. Breaching whales are a common sight from many of the holes in the winter. This beachfront course was designed by 21-time PGA Tour winner Davis Love III. diamantecabosanlucas.com

EL CARDONAL

The 18-hole, championship El Cardonal marked Tiger Woods’s architectural debut. With dramatic views of

PALMILLA GOLF CLUB

Palmilla is the landmark facility that set the stage for top-tier golf in Los Cabos when it opened in 1992 and is recognized as the Grand Dame of Los Cabos. Famous for offering 27 holes of amazing golf and spectacular views, it was Jack Nicklaus’s first signature venture into Latin America. With three distinctive nines — Arroyo, Mountain, and Ocean — the course gently guides golfers through 800 vertical feet of Baja California Sur terrain. palmillagc.com

PUERTO LOS CABOS GOLF CLUB

Puerto Los Cabos Golf Club features a unique 27-hole composite design finished in 2018 when Jack Nicklaus returned to build his long-awaited second nine. The Marina Course was originally designed by Nicklaus, and the Mission Course was designed by Greg Norman. Bunkers and dramatic elevation changes mark the recent additions made by Nicklaus. Stretching to 7,194 yards, the par-73 layout is etched into the rolling desert foothills, backed by the Sierra de la Laguna mountains. Making use of its flash-faced bunkers to signpost the fairways and defend the greens, the layout reveals Norman’s fondness for Australia’s classic Sandbelt courses. The club’s Marina Course features rippling fairways, undulating greens, and sculpted bunkers. Eventually, Puerto Los Cabos will offer two separate 18-hole courses. questrogolf.com

QUERENCIA GOLF CLUB

One of Mexico’s premier private clubs, this Tom Fazio–designed course is renowned for its slick, multitiered greens and challenging play across steep hills and bluffs — with several holes skirting the edges of deep canyons and rocky arroyos. Its 18 holes span more than 300 beautifully manicured acres. Recognized by Golf Digest and Golfweek magazines in 2021, the par-72 course measures a total of 7,050 yards. loscabosquerencia.com

QUIVIRA GOLF CLUB

In a spectacular setting at the tip of the Baja California peninsula marked by windswept dunes, sheer cliffs, and desert foothills, Quivira’s Jack Nicklaus–designed course scales the heights at Land’s End. This stunning par-72, 18-hole course stretches to 7,085 yards and is set along massive sand dunes, rugged cliffs, and white-sand beaches. With views of the Pacific Ocean from all 18 holes, Quivira offers more oceanfront exposure than any other course in Los Cabos. quiviragolfclub.com

RANCHO SAN LUCAS GOLF CLUB

The centerpiece of an 834-acre community set on the Pacific Ocean, the Greg Norman Signature Rancho San Lucas Golf Club opened in 2020. Known for his “least-disturbance” design approach, the 18-hole course features a low-profile layout that left the site’s existing contours intact and offers sweeping ocean views from every hole. The result is a 7,210-yard, par-72 course that spans three separate ecosystems: across windswept dunes, up through a cactus forest, and back toward the sea on the back nine. Norman also integrated indigenous grass varietals that require the least amount of water, building an eco-friendly experience that flows naturally with the landscape. ranchosanlucas.com/golf

THE OASIS SHORT COURSE

The second course designed by Tiger Woods for Diamante Golf and the first par-3 course in Los Cabos, The Oasis Short Course is designed to appeal to members and guests at all ability levels, from novices to experts. diamantecabosanlucas.com

TWIN DOLPHIN GOLF CLUB

Built on a sloping plateau bisected by three major arroyos, Twin Dolphin Golf Club rises more than 590 feet above sea level and boasts a naturalistic layout that features sweeping views of the Sea of Cortés from every hole. Course architect Fred Couples worked on the course’s routing and strategic design with Todd Eckenrode of Origins Golf Design to make it “a course that all players can enjoy.” twindolphinloscabos.com/golf

VIDANTA GOLF

One of the most enjoyable golf outings in Los Cabos, the nine-hole, par-35 Vidanta Golf in San José del Cabo measures 3,153 yards and is semi-flat. But don’t be fooled by the modest measurements, as it presents quite a few challenging holes that include both water and bunkers. Though it’s the oldest course in Los Cabos, Vidanta is widely considered one of its best values. vidantagolf.com